I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally.

我愿意你们晓得，我为你们和老底嘉人，并一切没有与我亲自见面的人，是何等地尽心竭力；

我要你们知道，我为你们和老底嘉人，和所有没有与我见过面的人，是何等地勤奋；

我要你们知道，我为你们和老底嘉人，和所有没有与我见过面的人，是何等地勤奋；

我希望你们知道，为了你们和老底嘉人，以及许多从未和我见过面的人，我是怎样努力奋斗的，

我愿意你们知道，我为你们和在老底嘉的人，以及所有没有跟我见过面的人，是怎样竭力奋斗，

我希望你们知道，我为你们和那些在劳迪西亚的人，以及一切没有亲自看到我面的人，有多么大的争战，

我願意你們曉得，我為你們和老底嘉人，並一切沒有與我親自見面的人，是何等地盡心竭力；

我要你們知道，我為你們和老底嘉人，和所有沒有與我見過面的人，是何等地勤奮；

我要你們知道，我為你們和老底嘉人，和所有沒有與我見過面的人，是何等地勤奮；

我希望你們知道，為了你們和老底嘉人，以及許多從未和我見過面的人，我是怎樣努力奮鬥的，

我願意你們知道，我為你們和在老底嘉的人，以及所有沒有跟我見過面的人，是怎樣竭力奮鬥，

我願意你們知道、我為你們和那些在老底嘉的、跟所有在肉身上沒有見過我面的人、是有多麼大的奮鬥；

我希望你們知道，我為你們和那些在勞迪西亞的人，以及一切沒有親自看到我面的人，有多麼大的爭戰，

蓋我欲爾知、我為爾與在老底嘉、及凡未覿我面者、如何盡力、

我欲爾知我為爾及老底嘉人、與未嘗覿面者、多竭心思、

我願爾知我為爾曹及老底嘉人、與凡未見我面者、如何心切、

爾等應知予為爾等及老底嘉同人之故、且為未曾睹面者之故、如何勞心焦思、而為之努力奮鬥也。予之為此、亦欲有以鼓勵同人之心、

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.

I want you to know how hard I am working for you. I’m concerned for those who are in Laodicea. I’m also concerned for everyone who has not met me in person.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,

For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face,

For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and[ for] them at Laodicea, and[ for] as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face.

For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.

Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

It said,“ Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.

Even in the womb, Jacob struggled with his brother; when he became a man, he even fought with God.Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won. He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him. There at Bethel he met God face to face, and God spoke to him—

They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.

For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.

He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

“ And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again.

You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition.

“ Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen— the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:“ I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!You say,‘ I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.So I advise you to buy gold from me— gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.“ Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.“ Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”

This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break.When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket.Then the man said,“ Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said,“ I will not let you go unless you bless me.”“ What is your name?” the man asked. He replied,“ Jacob.”“ Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him.“ From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”“ Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.“ Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.Jacob named the place Peniel( which means“ face of God”), for he said,“ I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.

Rachel named him Naphtali, for she said,“ I have struggled hard with my sister, and I’m winning!”

Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them.